Abrading implement



Nov. 27, 1956 Filed May 16, 1955 A. FIELD ABRADING IMPLEMENT 7 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. A94 55/? T F/EL 0 ,ws 4H0? ne Nov. 27, 1956 A. FIELD 2,771,720

ABRADING IMPLEMENT Filed May 16, 1955 ,2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. 14156397 F/[LD ABRADING IMPLEMENT Albert Field, Dayton, Ohio Application May 16, 1955, Serial No. 508,651

15 Claims. (Cl. 51-1935) This invention relates to abrading implements, and particularly to a generally new tool in this category especially adapted for the finishing and polishing of tube and cylinder interiors.

An object of the invention is to provide an abrading implement especially characterized by rotary vane type fillers individually and selectively installed in a common mandrel and adapted to be received in a cylindrical recess to be finished, said mandrel being adapted rotatably to be driven by a portable power tool, a flexible shaft or a drill press or the like at any appropriate speed.

Another object of the invention, in an abrading implement as described, is to present a filler member as described having a large number of flexible abrading surfaces which in conjunction with the centrifugal force generated produce a rapid cutting, deburring, finishing or polishing action.

A further object of the invention is to provide an abrading assembly comprising a filler as described and a mandrel in which fillers of different size and different finishing characteristics may quickly and easily be interchanged.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an abrading filler as described which can be reversed for longer life or to make selective use of different configurations at the ends thereof.

Fig. 1 is a view in perspective of a mandrel and sanding filler installed therein, in accordance with an illustrated form of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a view in side elevation of the mandrel of Fig. 1, the retainer cap for one end thereof being shown in longitudinal section;

Fig. 3 is a front end view of the mandrel, with the cap removed;

Fig. 4 is a view in perspective of a sanding filler useful in conjunction with the mandrel of Figs. 2-3;

Fig. 5 is a view like Fig. 1, at a reduced scale, showing a filler of the same material as that of Fig. l, but of a different configuration;

Fig. 6 is a view in perspective of a buffing filler useful in conjunction with the mandrel of Figs. 23 or 5;

Fig. 7 is a top plan view of a sheet of abrasive coated fabric material of a kind of which the filler of Fig. l is made.

Referring to Fig. 1 of the drawings, in accordance with the illustrative embodiment of the invention an abrading implement assembly comprises a mandrel 10 having a relatively small diameter shank end 11 adapted to be received in the chuck jaws of a portable power tool or the like. The other, relatively elongated, end 12 of the mandrel is cylindrical in shape and at its free or outer extremity has a reduced diameter cylindrical portion 13 (Figs. 2 and 3). The end 12 further is formed with a central longitudinal bore 14 opening through the said free outer extremity thereof. Three radial slots 15 communicate with the bore 14 and open through the periphery of the end portion 12 of the mandreh The slots 15 define in effect equally dimensioned circumferentially nit-ed States Patent 0 spaced apart prongs 16 which because of the length of the slots 15 and of the material of the mandrel may be considered to be slightly resilient. The described outer free extremity of the end 12 is adapted to be closed by a cap 17, the inner surface of which has a circular ridge 18 adapted to interengage with a similarly shaped ridge or lip 19 on the cylindrical projection 13. Thus, axial pressure of the cap 17 upon the cylindrical projection 13 causes the ridge 18 to ride over the lip 19 momentarily to deflect the prongs 16 inward. When the ridge 18 has passed over the lip 19 the prongs 16 reexpand outward and the cap accordingly is yieldingly held in place on the mandrel, blocking the open or exit ends of the bore 14 and the slots 15. The connection between the cap and the mandrel is in effect a spring detent connection, with the cap being removable and installed relatively easily by finger pressure alone. If one hand is used slightly to compress the prongs 16 the other hand may install and remove the cap 17 with little or no resistance from the interengageable ridges 18 and 19.

The mandrel 10 is adapted to mount a rotary vane filler member which may be abrasive coated as in Fig. l for finishing operations or which may be relatively soft and uncoated as in Fig. 6 for bufiing and polishing operations.

The filler 20 of Fig. 6 is made of three squares 21 of a felt or like material arranged in a back to back relation in such manner as to define a central hub 22 from which radiate circumferential spaced apart vanes 23. The several squares or elements of the filler are cemented to one another in the region of the hub only whereby to form a unitary device but one in which the outer ends or edges of the vanes can adjust relatively to one another when the filler is in working position within a cylinder or the like. In this latter regard, it will be understood that the fillers are adapted or constructed for use in cylinders of smaller diameter than themselves so that there is a radical compression and enforced curving of the vanes when they are fitted into the cylinder. This causes an overlapping relationship of the respective edges defining each vane for more extensive contact with the work surface and also combines a natural resilience of the material with centrifugal force to urge the vanes outward into contact with the work surface in the operation of the abrading implement. The filler is mounted in the mandrel 10 by a relative sliding axial motion therebetween, after the cap 17 has been removed. Thus, the central part of the hub 20 is aligned with and moved axially into the bore 14 of the mandrel while the vanes 23 thereof are accommodated in the radial slots 15. The vanes project through and beyond the slots 15 for contact with the work when the mandrel is inserted in the cylinder or the like to be finished. The length of the filler 2i) and of the bore 14 and slots 15 are of course such as to permit the tiller readily to be received in the mandrel and to be held therein by the replaced cap 17.

The abrasive coated filler 24, shown in Fig. 1, is made up of multiple sheets 25 of cloth coated on one side with an abrasive material. Each such sheet, as seen in Fig. 7, is generally rectangular in shape and has longitudinal parallel side edges 26. At one end of the sheet is a tapering or inclined formation 27 facilitating introduction of the mandrel into a cylinder, while the mandrel is rotating, and avoiding cutting or chamfering of thesurrounding edge at the open end of the cylinder. At its other end each sheet of abrasive material is formed with a recess 28 beginning short of the edges of such sheet whereby in effect to define at the side edges and at the said other end of the sheet longitudinally projecting fins 29. Each sheet 25 is, moreover, creased about its longitudinal axis or along a line 30 tending to facilitate bending of the sheet upon itself on the abrasive coated side thereof.

The filler 24 is, like the pad 26, of a tripartite construction, with each part thereof comprising a plurality of or stack of the abrasive coated sheets 25. The sheets 25 of each stack or part are, moreover, progressively different in width. A sheet of greatest width is placed at the bottom of a stack with the abrasive coated side thereof facing upward. Another sheet of slightly lesser width is placed in superposed relation to the first sheet, also with its abrasive coated side up, and this is followed by other sheets of progressively decreasing width until the stack is complete. In the assembly of each stack, the longitudinal area of each sheet about the crease line 39 may be wiped with a liquid adhesive so that the assembled stack of sheets 25 becomes a unitary sub-assembly. Three such sub-assemblies then are placed in back to back relation with the uncoated faces of the respective bottom sheets facing one another to define a complete assembly substantially as shown in Fig. 4. Prior to bringing the parts of the filler assembly together as indicated, the uncoated bottoms of each part are wiped with an adhesive in their longitudinal center area so that these areas become adhesively bound to one another and define a central hub 31 for the filler 24. Bending about the crease lines 30, the bodies of the multiple sheets 25 cooperate to define radial vanes 32. Within the vanes 32, the separate sheets 25 retain their individual identities permitting a relative sliding and adjusting motion of the sheets during operation in a manner as substantially to extend the area of contact with the cylinder wall. Also, it will be observed in Figs. 1 and 4 that the different widths of the sheets 25 result, in the final assembly of the filler, in producing outer vane edges which overlap one another and which in effect decrease in a series of steps from the middle of the vane on opposite sides thereof. A comparatively large number of abrading surfaces thus is in contact with the work while the tool is in operation. The staggered construction of the vane edges, in conjunction with centrifugal and resilient forces acts quickly and effectively to apply the desired finish to the work surface. The vanes 32, it will be understood, flex for insertion of the filler into a relatively smaller work recess.

The construction of the filler 24, it may further be seen, is such as to permit the filler to be reversed in the mandrel 10 to present new working surfaces to the cylinder wall after the working surfaces on opposite sides of the vanes have become worn. Reversibility of the filler also may be utilized to make use of the fins 29. Thus, when the filler is installed in the mandrel with the fins 29 projecting toward the outer free end thereof the relative dimensions of'the parts is such as to cause the fins 29 to project beyond the cap 17. Accordingly, the filler is enabled, through the fins 29, to reach a work surface such as the bottom of the cylinder bore beyond the outer end of the mandrel and cap 17 thereon.

As shown in Fig. 5, a filler may be constructed differently from that of Fig. 1. Thus, the filler 33 in this embodiment of the invention is constructed without the inclined formation 27 and without the recess 28, being made up essentially of square multiple sheets 34 of the same material as the sheets 25. The assembly is mounted in a mandrel 35 like the mandrel 10 and used in the same manner.

What is claimed is:

1. An abrading implement for the rotary finishing of cylinder interiors and the like, including a tripartite filler member, the parts of said member being flexible and in back to back relation with one another to enforce a bending of said parts about their center lines to define an article wherein adjacent centers of said parts form a hub from which project equilateral spaced apart vanes, and means for maintaining said parts in an assembled relation with one another to define a unitary filler memher as described.

2. An abrading implement according to claim 1, characterized in that each of said parts is a square of a relatively soft buifing material, all of said parts being of substantially identical configuration.

3. An abrading implement according to claim 1, characterized in that each of said parts is comprised of a plurality of superposed plies of abrasive coated material, said part having side edges cooperating with the side edges of other parts to define the outer ends of said vanes and having opposite ends cooperating with the ends of other parts to define the ends of said filler member, corresponding ends of each of said parts being cut away to form in effect longitudinal projecting fins at corresponding ends of said vanes, and the said plies of each part being progressively difierent in width with the uppermost ply being the one of smallest width.

4-. An abrading implement according to claim 1, characterized in that each of said parts is comprised of a plurality of superposed plies of abrasive coated material, said part having side edges cooperating with the side edges of other parts to define the outer ends of said vanes and having opposite ends cooperating with the ends of other parts to define the ends of said filler member, corresponding ends of each of said parts being cut away to form in effect longitudinal projecting fins at corresponding ends of said vanes.

5. An abrading implement according to claim 1, characterized in that each of said parts is comprised of a plurality of superposed plies of abrasive coated material, said plies being of progressively changing width with the uppermost ply being the one of smallest width.

6. An abrading implement according to claim 1, characterized by a mandrel for mounting said filler member, said mandrel having an axial bore opening through one end for receiving the hub of said member and radial slots opening through the periphery of said mandrel and through said one end thereof accommodating said vanes, said vanes projecting through and beyond said slots.

7. An abrading implement according to claim 4, characterized by a mandrel for mounting said filler member, said mandrel having an axial bore opening through one end thereof for receiving the hub of said member and radial slots accommodating said vanes, the member being reversibly installable in said mandrel, in one position of the member said fins projecting beyond said one end of the bore and in the other position the opposite end of the member terminating short of said one end of the bore.

8. An abrading implement for the rotary finishing of cylinder interiors and the like, including a tripartite filler member, each part of said member being made upof multiple superposed plies of an abrasive coated fabric material, each of said plies having opposing side edges and being creased slightly about a longitudinal center line approximately midway between said side edges, said parts being assembled in back to back relation in a manner to define a central hub portion and spaced apart radial vanes, said parts being interconnected to one another at said hub portion.

9. An abrading implement according to claim 8, characterized in that the plies of each part are progressively different in width, underlying plies overlapping one another along said side edges and the bottom plies of said parts being substantially equal in width.

10. An abrading implement according to claim 9 wherein said plies are coated on one side only, said plies being creased in a direction to fold the coated side of the ply upon itself, and said plies being stacked upon one another with the coated side facing upward, said parts being assembled with the uncoated side of the bottom ply of each part in contacting relation with the corresponding side of the bottom ply of each other part.

11. An abrading implement, including a mandrel presenting a cylindrical end portion having a longitudinal bore opening through the end of said end portion and further having radial longitudinal elongated slots communicating with said bore and opening through the periphery of said end portion and through the said end of said end portion, a rotary vane filler member receivable in said mandrel with its hub longitudinally disposed in said bore and its vanes projecting from said slots, and a detachable cap mounted on the said end of said end portion holding said member in place in said mandrel.

12. An abrading implement, including a mandrel presenting a cylindrical end poition split longitudinally through the end thereof to define circumferentially spaced apart prongs, a rotary vane filler member receivable in said mandrel with its vanes disposed between and ex tending radially beyond said prongs, and a cap fitting over said prongs and holding said member in said mandrel, said cap being removable for replacement of said member.

13. An abrading filler member for internal finishing, including multiple stacks of sheets of fabric material coated with abrasive on one side, said sheets all being stacked with the abrasive coated side facing in the same direction, said stacks of sheets being placed in back to back relation to define a filler member having a central hub portion and rotary multi-ply flexible vanes, and means in the hub portion only of said member holding the sheets of said member in an assembled unitary relation.

14. An abrading filler member according to claim 13, characterized in that at one end of said member said vanes are cut away toward the hub portion in effect to define projecting fins at said one end of the member.

15. An abrading implement, including a mandrel presenting an end portion having a longitudinal bore opening therethrough and further having radial longitudinally elongated slots communicating with said bore and opening through the periphery of said end portion as well as opening longitudinally through the end of said end portion, a rotary vane filler member receivable in said mandrel by way of said end portion with its hub longitudinally disposed in said bore and its vanes projecting through and beyond said slots, said bore and said slots defining longitudinally elongated circumferentially spaced apart prongs in relatively confining relation to said filler member and capable of relative springing motion at their outer free ends, and a closure cap adapted to be pressed over the outer free ends of said prongs to hold said filler member from axial displacement in said mandrel, said cap and said mandrel having relatively interlocking portions engaged and disengaged by a relative axial motion between said cap and mandrel accompanied by a springing action of the outer free ends of said prongs.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 822,503 Boynton June 5, 1906 1,685,406 Kimman Sept. 25, 1928 2,522,613 Harrison et al. Sept. 19, 1950 2,599,961 White June 10, 1952 

